Aussie actor David Howell sure knows how to embrace a role.
The Sydney-based actor is the star of the new Binge series Run, and left quite the impression during his audition.
The series follows the exploits of notorious bank robber Brenden Abbott, better known as the ‘Postcard Bandit’.
David was auditioning for the role of Brenden’s brother Glenn and pulled out all the stops to impress producers.
His audition was so convincing, neighbours called the police, fearful that a robbery was taking place.
Co-star George Mason, who plays Brenden Abbott in the series, told News Corp that after first seeing David at the audition, he was not surprised that police were called.
Australian actor David Howell almost got arrested during his audition for the Binge TV show Run after police mistook him for a real robber
The series follows the exploits of notorious bank robber Brenden Abbott, better known as the ‘Postcard Bandit’
George added that as soon as David’s audition began, he realised trouble could be brewing, especially since he could hear his co-star’s delivery from several streets away.
‘Next minute I hear him start the scene. It’s the hold-up scene and I’m going: “Oh, that’s loud,”‘ George said.
‘I’m in the street two blocks down in Surry Hills and I can hear him screaming his head off: “Get on the effing floor!” And straight away I went: “The cops are going to come.”‘
George’s assumption proved to be correct, with a police tactical response unit showing up to deal with the situation.
‘The sirens are coming and I’m going: “S***.” And I’m dressed up looking like [a robber]. I think I was wearing a white singlet and I had a pretend gun as well,’ he said.
Clad in his ‘robber garb’, George said that he attempted to inform the police of the situation as they ran into the rehearsal space.
‘I stopped the first guy and I was like: “Hey, just letting you know there’s an audition room. I’ve got the script here, just don’t go in there and shoot. It’s my mate in there.”‘ he said.
‘And the cop turned around and said to me: “Well, you should have a permit.” And I was like: “Don’t shoot the messenger, bro.”‘
His audition was so convincing, neighbours called the police, fearful that a robbery was taking place
The series follows the exploits of notorious bank robber Brenden Abbott,better known as the Postcard Bandit
Speaking about the ordeal in a Binge promo video, David explained: ‘There was cop cars lining the street and a SWAT team and the chief officer’s downstairs and the whole f***ing building’s evacuated.’
Director Ben Young added: ‘Sure enough, the cops find us and we’re just sitting there with a screenplay in front of us and they were just like: ‘You’re f***ing joking.”‘
Despite the confusion being resolved, David admitted he worried his overzealous audition might have landed him in hot water.
‘I walked out of the room thinking I was going to go to prison for the night,’ he laughed.
The series, which is streaming now on Binge, follows the exploits of notorious criminal Brenden Abbott.
Brenden robbed more than 40 banks across Australia throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
After his initial 1987 arrest, he escaped Fremantle Prison in 1989 and spent several years as a fugitive, conducting further robberies before his recapture in 1995.
After being recaptured, Brenden escaped from prison in Queensland in 1997, remaining at large for six months.
He was eventually arrested and jailed again in 1998, and is Australia’s longest-serving prisoner not convicted of murder.
